Clamp for retaining an elongated member



March 24, 1970 w, KILLERBY ET AL 3,502,317

CLAMP FOR RETAINING AN ELONGATED MEMBER Filed April 5, 1968 3Sheets-Sheet 1 .Z/I/VENT'DRS LU. 5: /Lbs'qgq n. L. PEP/N q. .4. LUHT'SDNMarch 24, 1970 w, KlLLERBY ETAL 3,502,317

CLAMP FOR RETAINING AN ELONGATED MEMBER Filed April 5, 1968 3Sheets-Sheet 2 March 24, 1970 w. E KILLERBY E L CLAMP FOR RETAINING ANELONGATED MEMBER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 5. 1968 United StatesPatent O 3,502,317 CLAMP FOR RETAINING AN ELONGATED MEMBER Walter E.Killerby, Lowell, Albert L. Pepin, Methuen, and Richard J. Watson,Danvers, Mass., assignors to Western Electric Company Incorporated, NewYork, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 5, 1968, Ser. No.719,040 Int. Cl. B25b 1/20, 1/24, /16

US. Cl. 269-43 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to a clamp for retaining an elongatedmember and, more particularly, to a clamp for retaining plural elongatedmembers in predetermined arrays of members.

In operating on one or more elongated members, such as in the attachmentof rows of lead wires to thin film circuits, it is generally necessaryto retain the member or members positively during the operation. Aclamping mechanism for so retaining elongated members ordinarily must bereleasable and must be simply actuated and released, yet must positivelyretain the members without damage thereto. When wires or elongatedmembers of small diameter are to be clamped, a critical requirement ofthe apparatus may involve the avoidance of any damage to the wires, suchas scraping, denting, bending, crushing, twisting or severing thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention resides in new andimproved apparatus for clamping an elongated member or members, such asan array of wires.

A simple, reliable apparatus of this type is provided, which apparatuspositively retains wires clamped, while avoiding damage to the wires, byutilizing in the apparatus a flexible member and a rigid securing membercooperative to clamp a portion of a wire therebetween upon flexure ofthe flexible member. The rigid securing member constitutes a wallprojecting from a plate adjacent an aperture through the plate. Theaperture is positioned to house a portion of the Wire therein withanother portion of the wire extending from the aperture adjacent thewall. The flexible member projects from the plate facing the wall at anopposite side of the aperture.

Plural apertures are utilized to define an array for housing rows ofwires in predetermined positions corresponding to the array. Pluralwalls and flexible members are used for such rows of wires. Flexure ofthe flexible members is brought about by a clamping frame which is movedtoward the plate. Located on the frame are plural camming surfacespositioned to engage portions of the flexible members so as to flexthese portions toward the walls. The resiliency of the flexible members,which are moved into contact with the wires while each wire iscontacting or almost in contact with the rigid walls, provides acushioning effect. This prevents the application of damaging forces tothe wires, while firmly clamping and retaining the wires between theflexible members and the walls.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a plan view, with partsbroken away, of an apparatus constructed in accordance with theprinciples of the invention for clamping a plurality of wires arrangedin rows;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. 1 andshowing a top plate and a frame forming part of the apparatus;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are cross-sectional views taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1and respectively showing parts of the apparatus in an unclampedcondition and in a clamped condition;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are end elevational views looking along the line 44 inFIG. 1 and showing portions of a mechanism for operating the apparatusbetween the unclamped and clamped conditions thereof, illustrating theportions in unclamped and clamped positions, respectively;

FIGS. 59 are cross-sectional views of a portion of the apparatusillustrating successive stages in the operation and use thereof; and

FIG. 10 is an isometric view of a portion of an article which may beproduced using the apparatus constructed in accordance with theprinciples of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring first to FIG. 10 of the drawing, there isshown an article constituting a thin film circuit 11 with a number oflead wires 12 extending perpendicularly from the circuit. The lead wiresare arrayed in two parallel rows.

An apparatus, illustrated in FIGS. 1-4B is employed in the manufactureof articles of the type shown in FIG. 10. This apparatus constitutes afixture for clamping lead wires 12 in position arrayed in rows whileseveral circuits 11 are placed over the wires and the wires are attachedto the circuits, as shown in FIGS. 59. It is to be understood that otherand different operations may, of course, be performed on wires retainedin apparatus of this type.

The apparatus includes a top holder member 13 and a frame or base plate14. The frame is a constituent of a clamping mechanism, movable towardmember 13 from an unclamping position, illustrated in FIGS. 3A, 4A, 5,and 9, into a clamping position, illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3B, 4B, 6, 7,and 8.

The top member 13 includes a horizontally extending support plate 16through which a number of rows of apertures 17 extend downwardly andfrom which several walls or posts 18 also extend downwardly. The walls18 are positioned extending alongside the rows of apertures 17 such thateach of the two opposite, downwardly extending wall surfaces 19 of awall 18 borders One edge of a row of apertures 17. The apertures 17 arepreferably circular, with a diameter slightly greater than the diameterof a lead wire 12, enabling each aperture to house a portion of a wiretherein. When wires 12 are inserted downwardly into apertures 17,portions of the wires will project from the apertures beneath the bottomsurface of the support plate 16. The projecting portions of the wires 12extend parallel and adjacent to a wall surface 19.

Several resilient members 21 are mounted along the underside of theplate 16 close to the rows of apertures 17. Across each row of aperturesfrom a bordering wall surface 19 is situated a downwardly extendingportion or skirt 22 of a resilient member 21, with a clamping edge 23 ofthe portion 22 facing the wall surface 19 adjacent the row of apertures.As may be seen in FIGS. 6-8, the apparatus is so designed that theprojecting portions of the wires 12 will be pressed and held between theclamping edges 23 and the wall surfaces 19 upon flexure of thedownwardly extending portions of the resilient members 21.

As shown in FIG. 3A of the drawing, the resilient members 21 preferablyconstitute generally U-shaped channel members, opening downwardly andextending along and between inward edges of two adjacent rows ofapertures 17. Each of the relilient members, thus, has two downwardlyextending portions 22, two outwardly facing clamping edges 23, two inneredges 24, and a horizontal connecting portion 25. Alternatively, therecould be twice as many resilient members, each constituting a flexiblebody extending generally downward opposite a wall surface 19 and notincluding any horizontal connecting portion. The resilient members 21may be composed of a plastic material such as polytetrafluoroethylene,known by the trade name Teflon. Alternatively, the resilient members maybe made of a silicone rubber or any other suitable flexible material.The resiliency of the material creates a cushioning effect, enablingclamping of the projecting portions of the lead wires 12 against thesurfaces 19 of the walls 18 without scraping, denting, bending, orotherwise damaging the lead wires.

The frame 14 is a part of a mechanism which is to be moved toward theplate 16 to bear against the resilient members 21 for flexing thesemembers in order to provide the clamping action described above. Forminga part of the frame 14 are a number of beveled camming surfaces 26. Thecamming surfaces constitute outwardly flared or tapered wall sections,each positioned in vertical alignment with one of the inner edges 24 ofthe resilient members 21. The frame preferably includes severalcross-members 27 which are separated by openings or slots 27A. Eachcross-member 27 is movable into a downwardly opening channel defined bythe two inner edges 24 and the horizontal connecting portion 25 of theresilient member 21. As may be seen by comparing FIG. 3B with FIG. 3Aand in FIGS. 5-9 of the drawing, upward movement of the frame 14 towardthe plate 16 will cause the camming surfaces 26 first to contact theinner edges 24 of the resilient members 21 and then to push againstthese inner edges and force them outwardly. Thus, the downwardlyextending portions 22 are flexed so as to move the clamping edges 23toward the downwardly extending surfaces 19 of the walls 18. Downwardmovement of the frame 14 away from the plate 16, bringing the beveledcamming surfaces 26 out of contact with the resilient members 21, willresult in a return of the resilient members to their original, unflexedconfigurations.

An operating mechanism for moving the frame 14 vertically relative tothe plate 16 is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4A, and 4B. A pair of end strips28, 28 extend downwardly from the top member 13. Each of the two endstrips has a pair of laterally spaced bores 29, 29 passing horizontallytherethrough for housing therein a cam shaft 31. Each of the four camshafts 31 has an eccentric cam 32 located at an inward end thereof,positioned inwardly of the adjacent end strip 28. Resting upon each ofthe four cams 32 is a shoulder portion 33 of the frame 14. Two shoulders33 extend outwardly, one at each end of the frame and are held againstthe cams 32 by a number of springs 34. Each spring has one end locatedin a recess 36 in the frame 14 and an opposite end bearing against theunderside of the top member 13. With this configuration, it will beclear that rotation of the cam shafts 31 will cause the frame 14 to movevertically with respect to the plate 16, as may be seen by comparingFIG. 4B with FIG. 4A.

Fixed to the outer ends of the four cam shafts 31 are four cranks 37,two positioned outwardly of each of the end strips 28. Pivotally mountedon each end strip 28 between the two cranks 37 associated therewith is acentral stub shaft 38. Two links 39 extend along the outer surface ofeach end strip 28, each link being pinned at its opposed ends to aflange 40 on one of the two central shafts 38 and to one of the fourcranks 37. The two links 39 associated with each end strip 28 areconnected by pins 41 to the associated flange 40 with each link pinnedadjacent a different one of two shoulders 42 on the central shaft. Theshoulders 42 contact the links 39 in the unclamped position of theapparatus (FIG. 4A), wherein the shaft 38 is situated rotatedcounterclockwise by a substantial amount from the clamped position (FIG.4B). Contact between the links 39 and the shoulders 42 bars furthercounterclockwise movement of the central stub shafts 38. Each of theshafts 38 has an outward end thereof shaped in the form of a head 44,engageable by any suitable tool such as a socket wrench or crank (notshown) for rotating the shaft 38.

In describing the operation of the apparatus, reference is made to FIGS.5-9 which illustrate the use of the apparatus in producing articles ofthe type depicted in FIG. 10, i.e., thin film circuits 1.1 havingperpendicularly extending lead wires 12. It is to be understood,however, that the apparatus or an obvious modification thereof may beused in any operation which involves the clamping of one or more wires,pins, rods, bars, or similar elongated members having circular ornon-circular crosssections.

With the apparatus initially in the unclamped condition illustrated inFIGS. 3A, 4A, and 5, wires 12 are inserted into each of the apertures17. The wires extend into the openings 27A between the cross-members 27.As shown in FIG. 5, the wires preferably have collars 46 formed near oneend thereof. The wires 12 are placed with the collars resting on anupper surface of the plate 16. A first axial portion of each wireextends through and is housed in its respective aperture 17, while asecond axial portion of the wire projects beneath the bottom surface ofthe plate 16. A first edge of the projecting portion of the wire ispositioned contacting or adjacent a wall surface 19 and a second andopposed edge thereof is positioned facing a clamping edge 23 of aresilient member 21. A third axial wire portion, of short extent,projects upwardly above the collar 46.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 4A, 4B, and 6, a pair of socket wrenches orother tools are placed in engagement with the two heads 44 of thecentral stub shafts 38. The wrenches are then rotated simultaneously inopposite directions, each being turned clockwise in a clamping directionwhen looking axially inwardly toward the respective head 44. The flanges40 are thereby rotated and the links 39 are driven outwardly withrespect to the shaft 38 by the pins 4.1, as may be observed by comparingFIG. 4B with FIG. 4A. The cranks 37 thereby are pivoted outwardly, torotate the cam shafts 31 and the cams 32. Rotation of the earns 32 movesthe frame 14 toward the plate 16, due to lobe or lift portions of thecams pushing upwardly on the shoulders 33. The beveled camming surfaces26, such as those on the cross-members 27, enter the downwardly facingchannels between the inner edges 24 of the resilient members 21. Theupwardly moving camming surfaces push on the downwardly extendingportions 22 to force the clamping edges 23 toward the wall surfaces 19.The clamping edges 23 engage the lead wires 12 and the projecting axialportions of the lead wires are clamped so as to be secured firmlybetween these resilient clamping edges and the surfaces 19 of the walls18. The resiliency of the clamping edges 23 provides a cushioningeffect, preventing any damage to the lead wires 12 while they areclamped against the securing members, i.e., the rigid walls 18.

The external application of rotative force to the central shafts 38through the heads 44 is ceased when, as shown in FIG. 4B, the earns 32have been rotated past a centered position thereof. Thus, the central,highest lift portions of the earns 32 are located overcenter, i.e.,positioned outwardly of a vertical line through the axis of the camshaft 31. Initially, during the clockwise, clamping rotation of thecentral shafts 38, rotation wa resisted by several reaction forces. Suchforces were present in the springs 34 being compressed and in theresilient members 21 being flexed, as well as in the weight of the frame14 bearing downwardly on the cams 32 at the shoulders 33. Such reactionforces initially tended to rotate the cams 32 back inwardly, so as todrive the link 39 apart and, thus, to tend to rotate the flanges 40 andthe central shafts 38 in a counterclockwise direction. However, forcedrotation has now driven the earns 32 into the overcenter condition shownin FIG. 4B, in which the reaction forces now tend to further rotate thecams outwardly. The links 39 are, thus, moved to a fully outwardlyextended position, i.e., that shown in FIG. 4B, whereupon the cams 32can no longer be further rotated outwardly. The apparatus is now in asteady-state clamping condition. It can be unclarnped only by positivecounterclockwise rotation of the central shafts 38 by turning the heads44.

One or more thin film circuits 11 may now be placed over the upstandingportions of the wires 12 to rest on the collars 46, as shown in FIG. 6.Next, the leads are crimped, as in FIG. 7. The entire apparatus is theninverted and a mass soldering process takes place. The lead wires 12 arethereby firmly attached to the circuits 11, whereupon the apparatus maybe again inverted to its original attitude, as shown in FIG. 8.

The heads 44 of the central stub shafts 38 are now rotatedcounterclockwise and the lift portions of the cams 32, thus, no longerengage the shoulders 33. The frame 14 moves downwardly under theinfluence of gravity and of the springs 34. The camming surfaces 26 ofthe frame 14 are withdrawn from the resilient members 21, which reassumetheir initial shape and position. The thin film circuit or circuits 11,may now be removed from the top member 13, for example, by a lifting rod47 shown in FIG. 9. Removal of the circuit 11 withdraws the lead wires12 from the apertures 17 in the plate 16. The counterclockwise rotationof the central shafts 38, meanwhile, will terminate when the links 39again contact the shoulders 42.

The apparatus now being unloaded and in the initial condition, a newcycle of operation may begin.

It is to be understood that the above-described apparatus is simplyillustrative of one embodiment of the invention. Other embodiments mightuse a single central shaft extending through the apparatus, rather thanthe two stub shafts 38, and/or might provide a handle fixed to the endof each central shaft and extending radially outwardly therefrom toobviate the need for a separate tool for rotating the central shaft.Additionally, the apparatus might be modified to retain one or morewires, pins, etc., in any array, such as in any number of rows or innon-linear patterns. Thus, for example, a circular or elliptical arrayof wires might be clamped about an outer wall of a suitably shaped postor other securing member, which would replace the wall 18, by one ormore flexible members, such as a flexible skirt encircling the outerwall of the post, using appropriately configured camming surfaces on theframe 14. Moreover, the camming surfaces 26 on the frame 14 might becurved rather than beveled. Many other modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a clamp for retaining an elongated member:

a holder comprising a plate with an aperture extending in a transversedirection through said plate for housing a first axial portion of anelongated member therein and also comprising a substantially rigid wallextending outwardly from said plate in said transverse directionadjacent to said aperture for contacting a first edge of a second axialportion of the elongated member extending outwardly from said aperture;

flexible means mounted on said plate across said aperture from said walland extending in said transverse direction generally parallel to saidwall for contacting a second and opposed edge of the second axialportion of the elongated member extending outwardly from said aperture;and

means for flexing said flexible means toward said wall to retain saidfirst and second edges of the elongated member therebetween.

2. In a clamp for retaining an elongated member, as set forth in claim1, wherein said flexible means has one edge thereof most distant fromsaid wall and said flexing means comprises:

means movable toward said plate and having a camming surface positionedto contact said one edge of said flexible means for forcing saidflexible means against said second edge of the elongated member in saidaperture.

3. In a fixture for holding a predetermined array of elongated members:

a support plate having a plurality of apertures extending therethrougharranged in said predetermined array for receiving elongated memberswith the extremities thereof projecting from the plate;

a wall having a surface thereof disposed along the configuration of saidarray and extending from one surface of said plate adjacent saidapertures;

a resilient skirt abutting said one surface of said plate, andpositioned across said apertures from said wall; and

means for forcing said skirt against said projecting extremities topress and hold said extremites against said wall.

4. In a clamp for retaining two rows of elongated members:

a plate having a pair of walls extending transversely therefrom, saidplate also having two rows of apertures extending therethrough adjacentrespective inward surfaces of said walls, said apertures being formedand positioned to house elongated members with portions thereofprojecting from said plate along said inward surfaces of said walls;

resilient means mounted to said plate between and extending adjacentsaid rows of apertures, said resilient means including two outerclamping edges positioned facing said inward surfaces of said walls andmovable toward said inward surfaces upon flex-ure of said resilientmeans, for retaining said projecting portions of the elongated membersclamped between said inward surfaces of said walls and said outerclamping edges upon fiexure of said resilient means; and

means movable toward said plate and against said resilient means forflexing said resilient means to re- It)ain said projecting portions ofthe elongated memers.

5. In a clamp for holding two rows of elongated members, as set forth inclaim 4:

said resilient means having a pair of inner edges defining a channel insaid resilient means between said inner edges and opening away from saidplate; and

said flexing means comprising means having two camming surfaces eachaligned with one of said inner edges of said resilient means and movableinto said channel for forcing apart said inner edges of said resilientmeans to flex said resilient means and move said outer clamping edgestoward said inner surfaces of said walls.

6. In a fixture for holding a plurality of leads to be secured to anarticle:

a support member having a plurality of apertures therein arrayed toreceive said leads with the extremities projecting from one face of saidmember;

a base plate having an opening formed therein of sufficient crosssection dimension to receive the projecting extremities of the leads,said opening having a tapered wall section flared outwardly adjacent theextremities of the projecting leads;

a rigid, securing member protruding from said one face of said supportmember adjacent said array of apertures;

a resilient skirt attached to said one face of said support memberspaced from said array of apertures and facing said securing member,said skirt overlying said tapered wall section; and

means for moving said base plate toward said support member to move saidtapered wall section to engage and force said skirt inwardly to grip theleads against said securing member.

7. A fixture for retaining a plurality of wires in rows,

which comprises:

a holder including a plate and a plurality of walls extending in atransverse direction from said plate with each wall having twotransversely extending surfaces defining opposite sides thereof, saidplate having a row of apertures extending therethrough adjacent each ofsaid transversely extending surfaces of each of said walls, eachaperture having a siZe and position selected to house a first axialportion of a wire with a second axial portion of the wire projectingfrom said aperture substantially parallel to one transversely extendingsurface of one wall;

a plurality of flexible members each spaced from a row of apertures andalso extending in said transverse direction away from said plate witheach flexible member having a clamping edge located opposite atransversely extending surface of a wall and each flexible member havingan inner edge located further away from said surface than said clampingedge;

means having a plurality of beveled surfaces and movable toward saidplate with each beveled surface aligned to engage one of said flexiblemembers transversely along said inner edge thereof for forcing saidinner edges of said flexible members toward said transversely extendingwall surfaces so as to move said clamping edges toward said oppositetransversely extending surfaces of said wall and clamp the second axialportions of the wires therebetwcen; and

means mounted on said holder for moving said forcing means toward saidplate.

8. A fixture for retaining a plurality of wires in rows as set forth inclaim 7, wherein said moving means comprises:

cam means having central highest lift portions and rotatably mounted onsaid holder to move said central highest lift portions into engagementwith said forcing means in a centered position of said cam means forapplying a primary force to advance said forcing means toward said plateagainst a reaction force resisting said advance;

crank means connected to said cam means for rotating said cam means;

a rotatably mounted shaft;

link means connected between said shaft and said crank means andeffective upon rotation of said shaft for moving said crank means torotate said cam means toward and past said centered position so as .toapply said primary force and then direct said reaction force over saidcentered position to further rotate said cam means; and

means for rotating said shaft to rotate said cam means toward and pastsaid centered position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1966 Fitzpatrick et al. 269-157X 1/1967 Schneeman 269153 X ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner US. 01.X.R.I

